ED conducts raids in Bengal, Delhi in sand and coal smuggling cases

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations across West Bengal and Delhi in connection with alleged illegal sand and coal smuggling cases, official sources said.

ED teams, accompanied by central armed police forces , began searches around 6.30 am at premises in Delhi, Kolkata, Asansol, Durgapur and several other areas of Paschim Bardhaman district .

Among the locations searched was the residence of newly appointed Budbud police station officer-in-charge (OC) Manoranjan Mandal in Asansol. Mandal is yet to formally assume charge at the police station.

“The searches are part of an ongoing investigation into illegal sand and coal trade,” a senior ED official said.

Mandal was suspended last year while posted at Barabani police station following corruption charges. He was subsequently attached to the Asansol Police Special Branch before being reinstated recently as OC of Budbud police station. His recent reinstatement has now come under scrutiny following the ED action, sources said.

The federal probe agency also searched the residences and offices of several sand and coal traders operating in the region.

In Durgapur’s Sepco area , ED teams raided the residence of sand trader Prabir Dutta , owner of KK Minerals , and simultaneously carried out searches at the house of his brother Amit Dutta . Officials said KK Minerals operates sand mines in Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman and Purba Bardhaman districts and has offices in Panagarh .

Searches were also conducted at the residences of sand trader Sheikh Hasim Mirza Beg in Panagarh, Sheikh Kiran Mandal in the Bhaktarnagar area of Andul , and coal trader Sheikh Maizul in Pandabeswar , among others.

Raids were also underway at several additional locations in Kolkata and Delhi, though details of those searches were not immediately available.

Officials clarified that the present investigation is separate from another alleged coal scam case being probed by the ED. In that case, the agency had raided the premises of political consultancy firm I-PAC in Kolkata last month.

The ED’s action comes amid intensified scrutiny of alleged illegal mining and smuggling networks in West Bengal, with the agency examining possible financial irregularities and links between traders and officials. Further details are awaited as the searches continue and investigators analyse documents and electronic records seized during the raids.